Find the Cheap Samuel Hotels

I cannot overstate how wonderful it was to stay at this charming hotel. The staff, in particular, were terrific. They went above and beyond in every conceivable way. The breakfast was gourmet, our small apartment was comfortable and clean, and since we were there for a full week, they even did our laundry for us as needed. One of my suitcases was so heavy that we couldn't carry it up the two flights to our apartment but they took care of that. One staff member even helped with the proof-reading and editing of a narrative I needed to deliver in Portuguese. For those who are not keen on huge hotels, this is a perfect choice.

The hotel is located in a very comfortable area, with a view to the Mondego and the Atlantic.

Stayed here one night on a cycling tour. On the positive side, our room was clean, large and spacious. Good sized modern shower room too. On downside, it was plain to the point of being Spartan, stank of drains from the bathroom and the two small windows were situated just below the high ceiling. They had metal covers rather than blinds or curtains so overall feel was cell-like. The hotel had provided large wooden stairs to climb up and reach one window but this contraption wasn’t easily moveable so for the other window you had to balance on a chair in order to close the steel doors at night. The smell of drains became intolerable. On checking out I mentioned it to the receptionist who was totally unconcerned and said it was usual when it rained. It hadn’t been raining when we checked in and other rooms occupied by our party were not affected but clearly they weren’t planning on investigating. It was ok for one night but I wouldnt choose to return.

I booked a group sales event. It was challenging bc I had to pre-pay for 1/2 of rooms with cash via a bank transfer. They would not accept credit cards. I asked what would happen if we had less attendees than I’d counted on. They told me not to worry, that I’d receive any reimbursement upon check out. I was owed over 1700 euro. I was NOT paid upon check out. Then I was told that I had to wait for the accounting team to return from holiday. I was not paid then. Then I was told I had to wait until the end of the month. I was also told if I had paid with a card that they would have already done it, (but they wouldn’t allow me to use a card!) As of today, I have not been paid. They also said that I needed to receive my reimbursement in a Portuguese account, despite accepting payment out of an American account. Luckily, I had one. Unluckily, they refused to accept my account info from the internet. So they made me drive to Coimbra to get bank credentials. (Then had another excuse not to pay me.) There have been big wildfires and I drove through one, trying to get to the bank. It was terrifying. It has been 3 weeks. At this point, my emails are not answered and it looks like I will have to sue. The accommodations are fine, but I would strongly recommend against using them for a big group, based on my experience. Waiting for people to return from their holiday to get paid money that is owed?? What??! I waited 3 weeks to write this review, to give them the benefit of the doubt. I’m very disappointed. Maybe this is just the way that people do business in Portugal? I don’t know know but it isn’t good. Seems very unprofessional to me. I will never book a big group with them again, nor with any other Ibis affiliate, based on this experience.

Excellent location (across the road from the beach, good marina near by, plenty of restaurants walking distance). Very hospitable and friendly staff, quick and easy check in and out. Newly furbished rooms, very clean, ocean view balcony (I've had a free upgrade curtessy of hotel staff, as ocean view rooms were available). Great money value, affordable prices. Good breakfast. Good food at the restaurant, very good service. Good English spoken. Free Wi-Fi. Free parking available near-by. Rent-a-car facility walking distance. I stayed there twice, and will do again whenever I'm in the area.

Good service, clean, comfortable bed and pillows Good environment, swimming pool, gym, reading room and other facilities are complete, breakfast is OK, the room is small.

We stayed there for two nights. The bed was comfy and the shower was good. Yet, as a 4-star hotel, they didnt provide slippers and toothbrushes and toothpaste in the room...We checked in late and were exhausted, so didn’t want to ask for room service (we felt bad for not having small change for tips!) The white shower curtain was a bit gross (mouldy/ stained)...as well as their toilet seat (yellow stains underneath)

I visited Portugal on a group tour that included stays at three pousadas. A big takeaway from my experience is that pousadas are remarkably variable. Pousada Mosteiro de Guimaraes was fantastic, and Pousada Castelo Palmela was okay but with some flaws. However, this one, Conimbriga Hotel Do Paço, was abysmal. I recommend you choose your pousada carefully; some are great, but some, such as this one, are bad beyond belief. The hotel itself is nothing special, and a massive disappointment after the delight of the first pousada I visited, Pousada Mosteiro de Guimaraes. This pousada claims to be originally a ‘manor house’, but it just looks like a tatty old house that’s had tacky modern hotel features crudely appended. Tattiness and dirtiness were everywhere. My room was the type that motivates me to avoid touching anything I don’t need to; surfaces were not clean. However, the bed linen was okay, as was the bed. Lots of insects were attracted by the needlessly bright modern garden lights, and doors and windows were left open so they could get inside. Even my hotel key was disgusting: the tag attached to it had an old sticky label which was partly worn away, and its glue residue was holding the accumulated dirt and pocket fluff of innumerable previous guests. Presumably, no one at the hotel could be bothered to clean it. It rather sums up the hotel. Dinner was awful. The dining room’s maître d' was badly dressed in a shabby polo shirt and casual trousers; he looked like it was his job to clean toilets, not greet diners. I was brought soup, and had to request a spoon with which to eat it. Service for me was slow, but I got luckier than my fellow diners – some were waiting two hours for food. I was fortunate enough to have other dining arrangements for my second night in this hotel; some of my fellow diners who did not returned to the hotel with food from grocery stores rather than endure the same dining experience for a second time. Breakfast was also awful. The floor of the breakfast room was wet and slippery, I had to request that it be dried. I also had to request that lights were turned on in the breakfast room, which was dark. Scrambled eggs were strangely lumpy. The toaster was of an impenetrable design. Coffee dispensers ran out of coffee half an hour after breakfast started.